Unique Salads Freshly Picked By the Country's Best Chefs

January brings on a lot of New Year's resolution-fueled salad eating. If you're growing fatigued of spring mix and chicken breast, here's where to find the most interesting takes on salad in the country–some are healthier than others, but all are vetted as delicious by the top chefs in the U.S.

Los Angeles

Grilled octopus salad at Angelini Osteria, recommended by chef Josiah Citrin who says "No
one does it better. With cherry tomatoes, grilled octopus, on top of a
bed of arugula, you can taste the Mediterranean Sea in every bite."

Crispy morning glory salad at Jitlada, recommended by chef Andrew Kirschner who says "The
textural combination of fried morning glory alongside sweet shrimp, all
dressed in a spicy lime dressing that's infused with fish sauce, is a
party in your mouth."

Escarole and sunchoke salad at Gjelina recommended by chef Josef Centeno who says "I
love this salad for its freshness and simplicity. It has crunchy hearts
of escarole and paper-thin slices of shaved, raw sunchoke with a bright
preserved-lemon vinaigrette and house-smoked almonds."

Chicago

Porkbelly salad at Ruxbin recommended by chef Danny Grant who says "So
many places use pork belly, yet oftentimes it’s not memorable. That’s
not the case here: it’s crispy and delicious, served with a few
additions that make sense and a few that make you wonder, why didn’t I
think of that?"

Dallas

White seaweed salad at Tei-An recommended by chefs John Tesar, Gilbert Garza, Julian Barsotti who say "I've never had anything like this seaweed," "It’s ethereal, clean, and has a very well-rounded texture. Plus, you don’t get fatigued eating it," and "it primes your appetite for the rest of the meal" respectively.

Lobster and shiitake mushroom salad at Nobu recommended by chef Chris Ward who says "The
lobster meat is mixed with onions, cherry tomatoes, serrano chile, and
cilantro tossed in a yuzu dressing and placed over Bibb lettuce. Roll it
up like a taco: sweet, citrusy, spicy, and ocean-fresh."

Grilled octopus salad at Victor Tangos recommended by chef Espartaco Borga who says "The crispy yet tender octopus is tossed with a tangy dressing and mixed greens, all of which makes just the perfect balance."

Portland

Grüner salad at Grüner recommended by chefs Cathy Whims and Andy Ricker who say "This salad is a great assortment of 12 different vegetables and lettuces. It's crunchy, delicious, colorful, and healthy," and "The
'Grüner' salad had better never leave the menu: raw shaved vegetables,
different crisp lettuces, pumpkin seeds, and pretzel bread croutons with
a simple red wine vinaigrette. It just never disappoints" respectively.

Jellyfish salad at Frank's Noodle House recommended by chef Noong Poonsukwattana who says "This is great on a hot day. The jellyfish salad balances out the stir-fried noodle meal. It's all about the food."

Brussels sprouts salad at Boke Bowl recommended by chefs Tommy Habetz, John Gorham, Jason French, and Naomi Pomeroy who say "The
cauliflower and brussels sprouts are always perfectly brown and
crunchy," "Since the first time I had it, I've craved this at least once a week," "Brussels sprouts, cauliﬂower, and blood orange—it's my favorite salad right now," and "The
citrus plays off well with the strong flavors from the brussels and
cauliflower, giving the dish a sweet, tart note that makes it perfectly
balanced" respectively.

Spicy carrot and avocado salad at Departure recommended by chef Jason French who says "Chef
Gregory Gourdet specializes in vegetarian cuisine, and this is one of
his standouts, with the contrasting textures and flavors of carrots,
avocado, pickled cucumbers, and sourdough croutons."